The Little Prince of the Field - Chapter 6

I stood by the assistant referee and concentrated on the coach’s words. 

It was already my third substitution this season. 

I wish I was a starter, but I know my competence better than anyone else. 

Just being chosen as a sub is worth a lot. 

My heart was pounding with pleasant tension. 

“Kim, You’re going to be in Narváez’s position. You don’t have to move only in the penalty box. Do you understand what I mean?” 

“I understand.” 

“’OK. Do as you usually do. You’re doing great. It’s okay even if you don’t play this game. Don’t feel pressured. You know?” 

“Yeah.”

 “Did you like papas.”

 “ Yes. It was good there.” 

“Okay, let’s go again next time.” 

Manager Pepe is hot-tempered but a nice guy. 

Not only did he give young players many opportunities, but he also knew how to make people feel comfortable, and he was a Manager who knew how to bring the team together. 

Manager Pepe slightly tapped Narvaez on the shoulder as he comes out of the stadium and goes inside. 

It would be nice to score a goal for the coach, but it was also true that Santander’s two-line defense, which I watched while warming up, was so hard that I lacked confidence compared to the previous games. 

However, even if I doesn’t score a goal, I have to play the role as an attacker. 

Considering the high prices of the Canary Islands, which is famous for its tourist attractions, I received Papas Aru…….from Manager 

I have to respond to the trust. 

As soon as I enter, I compete in the penalty box and got pushed down by the opponent’s central defender. 

I thought it might be a little hard today, and the tackle overshadow my previous resolution. 

With less than 10 minutes left in regular time, the attackers, including myself, wandered around outside Santander’s penalty box. 

Drolle, who came in as a substitute at the start of the second half, fails to dribble fearing counterattack. 

Fernández, who replaced left winger Cedris, tried to dribble and turned the ball back and made a ridiculous cross.  

He tries to follow the cross over his head with all his might, but the ball falls into a space that cannot be physically reached in the first place. 

While the opposing goalkeeper was preparing for a goal kick, I approached Pedri and talked. 

“Pedri, change positions again and again.” 

“Keep changing positions?” 

“Yes. Take the ball into the penalty box.” 

I think it’s only Pedri who can change the flow of the game. 

Drolle was a mess as if he was not fully adapted from the Turkish league, and Fernandez was the same as he was when he played together with me in the second division without developing. 

He lacked destructive power to break through dense defense. 

The goal kick flies far away, and this time Aitami, who catches the mark properly, runs toward Marong and swings his elbow fiercely. 

With the whistle, the referee approaches without haste and pulls out another yellow card. 

Cumulative cards and Aitami exit the field. 

It’s a pity, but it can’t be helped. 

It was rather fortunate that he was sent off in the 80th minute. 

The formation got changed according to the gesture of Inigo who took over the captain’s armband. 

86 mins. 

Three-back, left side of Las Palmas, Courbelo Delafe’s diagonal ground ball pass hits me right in front of the penalty box. 

It was a lucky pass, but it was a good pass. 

With one touch I send the ball to Pedri, who follows, and enters the penalty area. 

I put the one central defender behind my back and take over the ball again. 

The ball sent by Pedri was sent directly back to the top of my left foot. 

I deviates from my first position without resistance to the pushing force from behind. 

The ball would have been taken away from me if I had not sent it to Pedri. 

The same was true for Pedri, who was also being pushed. 

Pedri and the opposing midfielder make eye contact just before the tackle comes in. 

I have to give a one-two pass in the penalty box again. 

It was very close, so I had to concentrate. 

I have to fly the ball at the correct height to make it fall at Pedri’s feet. 

It was slightly short of height, but Pedri easily touches the ball and enters deeper into the penalty box. 

Is there enough room for a shot? 

At the moment Pedri was hidden from my eyesight by the opponent defender’s back and I was not able to see in detail. 

The ball rolls at Pedri’s heel. 

It was an amazing footwork. 

Afterwards, Santander’s midfielder, who was entering the penalty box, runs toward the ball at the same time as Pedri kicked the ball. 

The roar of the audience is soaring. 

The ball went off the side of the net. 

Damn it. 

Did he just cross the foot with Santander’s midfielder? 

The tackle came in as soon as I shot, I slipped on the floor together with the defender, so the situation was not properly understood. 

After the game, I have to review the video data. 

“Buen trabajo!” 

“You’re the best!” 

“Well done!” 

“What?” 

“Penalty! Penalty!” 

Pedri lifts me up with a big smile. 

The Estadio Gran Canary was as loud as a bomb. 

Santander defenders were seen protesting against the referee. 

“I think he’s going to see Var ( Video Assistant Referee), but it’s a penalty. I saw it right in front.” 

“Is it a penalty?” 

“Yes Príncipe, the tackle went in with the sole of my foot. A hundred percent.” 

I looked at Pedri’s left ankle, 

There’s really a stud mark of the opposing midfielder’s football shoes. 

Without even saying anything, colleagues flock around and tap around. 

I don’t understand why they’re hitting me, when I’m not in charge of penalties. 

Can’t we just touch when I score? 

The referee looks at the var for a moment and points to the penalty area and takes out a yellow card to No. 20. 

The cheers of the spectators filled the stadium. 

Inigo’s penalty shootout resulted in a score of 1-1. 

I felt a little uncomfortable with my left ankle, but I didn’t tell the coach since there was no problem running. 

I also experienced this several times in the second division, so it was enough to say after the game. 

Santander responded by raising the line late when we scored a comeback goal. 

The three-back was an unfamiliar Las Palmas, but even in dangerous situations, goalkeeper Martinez helped get out of the crisis with several good defenses. 

Courbelo Delafé, who switched from the side to the center defender, repeatedly gave up opportunities on the left side due to his lack of defense, but at the same time, he uses a unique long pass to push Santander, who raised the line. 

When the opponent’s line came up, Pepe sent me a signal to focus on line breaking in a counterattack situation. 

Ninety minutes. 

All the regular time has passed, and four minutes of extra time have begun. 

Santander’s central defenders were slow on foot. 

Drolle, who succeeded in breaking through using speed, falls down by the opponent defender’s grab. 

Even Mantovani, a tall defender, is struggling to compete in a free kick that leads to fouls. 

It didn’t seem easy to score using heading. 

The crowd was surprised and feels relieved as Santander’s shot passes over the net. 

I thought it was really going in this time. 

The lack of one person has brought about a heart-throbbing crisis every time. 

Martinez’s ground ball pass, which was handed back, releases the pressure from the center by exchanging a one-two pass with Courbelo, Inigo, and Inigo again with Kirian Rodriguez. 

The players who were in the field from the beginning seemed exhausted. 

Maybe the score of 1-1 was the best we could make at the moment, but I thought we could make one or two chances right away. 

I stopped at the opponent’s offside line and pierced it again by running, but Kirian Rodriguez’s pass flies to the wrong place. 

It was vain, but it seemed OK. 

It can’t be helped that he’s physically exhausted. 

Santander is now conscious of the referee and takes the pace of the game faster. 

The closing time is not far off. 

De La Bela blocks Santander’s right-hand attack with a deep tackle. 

I ran quickly to the ball that he kicked far away and took control of the ball, but I’m the only one in the offense. 

Drolle and Juan Fernandez, who came in as substitutes, were also unable to come up since they were participating in the defense, so dribbling was the only choice. 

I managed to shake off the opponent’s midfielder by swinging my upper body and hit him deep into the left space. 

There are four defenders. 

I’m the only one who attacks. 

It was good to get close to the penalty box, but Fernández is only coming over the half-line. 

I’m a little annoyed. 

The other players are fine, but shouldn’t Drolle, who came in as a substitute like me, should have come up? 

In a moment, I was pushed to the side by the cooperative defense that the central defender participated in. 

I barely hit the ball in the opponent’s leg and creates the last chance to attack with a corner kick. 

This was the best play I could make. 

All the home fans rose from their seats. 

In order to fulfill the fans’ hopes of winning until the end, Las Palmas follows the signal from the bench to the goalkeeper and prepares for the final attack. 

The extra four minutes are all over. 

At 96 minutes, the last corner kick begins at the referee’s signal. 

Mantovani managed to hit the ball to the head, but it is far from a shot. 

The ball bounced back rolls on the floor. 

The players are busy rushing into a narrow space, fighting, and pulling their opponents. 

Drolle was the first to touch the ball, but soon fell on the central defender’s tackle, and the ball pops out of the penalty box. 

The referee would have had the whistle in his mouth by now for the end of the game. 

I stepped back without participating in a corner kick, and the ball bounces forward and approaches me. 

I was at a better angle, so I try the last shot without hesitation.

I was definitely in a better angle to shoot than Inigo, but whoever kicked it had to kick a drop ball that flew into the air to break through the dense defense in the center. 

I pushed my leg straight up to the center of the ball. 

Drawing a neat trajectory that surprised even me when I kicked, the ball goes over the defensive wall and falls down. 

The opposing goalkeeper didn’t react at all. 

Players in black uniforms lowered their heads, and yellow uniform ran through the stadium at the excited cheer. 

“Yay!!” 

“Aaah!” 

It was a cruel day for Santander.